A man committed a string of shoplifting offences and was involved in the theft of roofing slates from a yard.

Blackburn Magistrates' Court heard all the offences were committed by Stephen Meakin to fund his drug use.

Meakin, 38, of no fixed address but from Accrington, pleaded guilty to nine charges of shoplifting from various stores in the Accrington area and theft of slates worth £1,500.

He was jailed for 10 weeks and ordered to pay £154 victim surcharge on release.

Steven Botell, prosecuting, said none of the goods stolen from the shops had been recovered and Meakin had been identified in each case from CCTV footage.

CCTV also captured Meakin and other men entering an enclosed yard and loading the slates into a van before driving off.

Gareth Price, mitigating, said police had investigated his client for a very serious offence earlier in the year although nothing came of it in the end.

"As a result of that investigation he was denied access to his children and his landlord threw him out because he was not happy with him being in his property," said Mr Price.

"He became homeless and unfortunately relapsed into drug use."